Indicator for public assemblies



(Model.)

H. S. GRIMES.

INDICATOR IOR PUBLIC ASSEMBLIBS. No. 302,723. Patented July 29, 1884.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

HARRY S. GRIMES, OF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO.

INDICATOR FOR PUBLIC ASSEMBLIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 302,723, dated Ju1y 29, 1884.

Application tiled September 25, 1883. (Model.)

To all whom, 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY S. GRiMEs, of Portsmouth, in the county of Scioto and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Indicator for' Public Assemblies, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to aconvenient,rapid, and noiseless means of communication between men or parties at public fairs, meetings, or assemblages.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specilication, in which the ligure is a perspective view of my invention as in operation.

My invention consists of a letter-plate-holding device and mechanism for elevating the same into public view upon fair-grounds and in large assemblies, as will be hereinafter fully described and speciiically claimed, by means of which Mr. A can informMr. B, whom he supposes to be somewhere in the crowd, that he (Mr. A) would like to see him at some particular spot and time, or any other message desired. For this purpose I erect in a convenient place a frame about thirty feet high,

so that it may be seen from almost, any part of the ground. This frame I make of two side bars or posts, A, which are joined and secured at top and bottom by suitable girts and braces. Between these posts are two rollers, B B, which are free to revolve in journals provided in or secured to the posts. The rollers have guide-iianges b near their ends, and a straight barrel between the flanges. One of the rollers, B, is placed as near the top of the posts as practicable. The other roller, B', is placed at a height of about eight feet from the ground, and is provided with a crank or handle, O, by means of which it can be rotated. Upon these rollers I stretch an endless belt or apron, D, of canvas or other suitable ilexible material. Upon this belt at regular intervals are secured grooved letter guides or carriers d, into which I slide plates E, marked with or showing letters forming the name and message it is desired to indicate.

`I The crank is then turned and the message elevated in sight of all, where the party indicated or his friends can see and note it. The grooved carriers upon the endless apron D are elevated upon one side of the frame, and at the operator, by placing the message in duplicate in an inverted position on both sides of the frame at the bottom, and then turning the mechanism, reverses them, causing them to top. During the time that one message is being shown at the top the operator prepares another at the bottom and at the proper time reverses them, sending down the one that was up, and raising the new one at a single operation without loss of, time. The indicator is placed in charge of a clerk or operator, who receives or registers the messages and receives the answers as they 'are brought in, the whole constituting a simple means of telegraphic communication between individuals who may desire to communicate with each other without the loss of time or trouble of seeking one another in a crowd.

I am aware that it is common to connect card-holders by means of links, and thus form endless belts of card-holders. Of this an eX- ample is seen Vin Patent No. 279,936, and this I do not claim.

Having thus described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-Y An indicator for public assemblies, made substantially as herein shown and described, con- I sisting of an endless apron of iiexible material stretched over top and bottom rollers in a snitablefraine, said belt having attached to its exterior faces a series of grooved guideplates that receive sheets on which letters are formed, the said indicator being adapted to stand in a public assembly, and to be read on both sides, as set forth.

HARRY S.. GRIMES. Vitnesses:

B. C. TRAGo, ROBERT CARRUTHERs.

the same time descend upon the other, and' show both ways and in correct position at the 

